Amazingly - Jack Straw finally does something, even though it is so minor in the grand scheme of things, that makes sense.

Personally I think, he was no threat to society, he is a frail 80 year old man and could pass on anytime soon. He should be with his family, he may have been a criminal but so what - everyone makes mistakes, I dont understand the people who say he should have been forced to stay and die in jail. People who do say that come across as sadistic little evil *******s, who seriously lack any degree of empathy.

A violent, justice evading criminal walks free on account of health issues? Boo-hoo, I think the tosser should have died in jail where he belongs. Him and his gang of thugs ruined the life of that train guard while he was living the high life in Brazil. Tosser.

This looked very interesting when I saw it earlier this evening. The argument seems to be that the circumstances have changed (in that Biggs now has next to no prospect of recovery) since Straw's previous refusal to grant release.

That seems a reasonable justification for the change in Straw's decision; but I have to say, considering Biggs' very deliberate and very prolonged efforts to escape justice, even now I feel the impulse to say he should remain in jail. His crime was, if I'm correctly informed, far more serious than the Biggs romantics seem to realise - and many other people have died in jail in Britain having committed serious crimes.

All that said, the Home Secretary has a statutory power to release prisoners on compassionate grounds. I am very unclear on whether he is actually permitted to consider all the circumstances (i.e. the crime for which the prisoner is in jail, and whether he unlawfully delayed serving his sentence for 30 odd years!) when he makes that decision. He may, legally speaking, have to take into account "compassionate" factors only ...

Amazingly - Jack Straw finally does something, even though it is so minor in the grand scheme of things, that makes sense.

Personally I think, he was no threat to society, he is a frail 80 year old man and could pass on anytime soon. He should be with his family, he may have been a criminal but so what - everyone makes mistakes, I dont understand the people who say he should have been forced to stay and die in jail. People who do say that come across as sadistic little evil *******s, who seriously lack any degree of empathy.